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Water Quality

Water quality can be assessed based on chemical, physical, and biological parameters. Key chemical parameters include dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity. Important physical parameters are temperature, turbidity, and total dissolved solids. Biological indicators of water quality involve examining aquatic macroinvertebrates, algae growth, bacteria levels, viruses, and parasites. Together, analyzing these various parameters provides an overall picture of a body of water's quality and environmental health.

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62 views17 pages

Water Quality

Water quality can be assessed based on chemical, physical, and biological parameters. Key chemical parameters include dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity. Important physical parameters are temperature, turbidity, and total dissolved solids. Biological indicators of water quality involve examining aquatic macroinvertebrates, algae growth, bacteria levels, viruses, and parasites. Together, analyzing these various parameters provides an overall picture of a body of water's quality and environmental health.

Uploaded by

Sona Parveen Farooque
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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WATER quality

SONA PARVEEN FAROOQUE


Water quality parameters include:
Water quality parameters
Chemical Parameters

Physical Parameters

Biological Parameters

It can be tested or monitored based on the desired water parameters of


concern.

.
CHEMICAL PARAMETERS
The amount of oxygen in water, to a degree, shows its overall
health. That is, if oxygen levels are high, one can presume that
pollution levels in the water are low. Conversely, if oxygen levels are
low, one can presume there is a high oxygen demand and that the
Dissolved oxygen.

body of water is not of optimal health.

Apart from indicating pollution levels, oxygen in water is required by


aquatic fauna for survival. In conditions of no or low oxygen
availability, fish and other organisms will die.

If there is not enough oxygen in the water, the following may


happen:

Death of adults and juveniles


Reduction in growth
Failure of eggs/larvae to survive
Change of species present in a given waterbody.
Temperature
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. It is usually
measured by using a colorimetric test - litmus paper changes colour with
increased acidity or alkalinity.
pH varies naturally within streams as a result of photosynthesis. There
are a number of reasons that water may have extreme pH values;

Acidic values:

• Geology and soils of the catchment affect pH. Acid soils (these are
different from Acid Sulphate Soils) and rocks such as basalt, granite and
sandstone contribute to
PH

lower pH in water.

• Acid sulphate soils form in anaerobic environments that are rich in


sulphur, such as at the bottom of estuaries. If these soils are not
disturbed and are left in anaerobic conditions, they do not pose any
threat. However, when they are uncovered and oxidised, they release
sulfuric acid into adjoining water ways.

• Runoff from bushland areas is slightly acidic. This is due to tannic acids
(tannins) which are found naturally in leaves. Tannins are also
responsible for giving water a tea-like colour.
Alkaline values:

• Basic rocks such as limestone contribute to higher pH values.

• Runoff such as fertilisers and detergents cause increased alkalinity.

Extreme values of pH can cause problems for aquatic fauna. For example, fish
may develop skin irritations, ulcers and impaired gill functioning as a result of
PH

water that is too acidic. Death of most aquatic fauna may result from extremely
acid or alkaline water.

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14:


Acidic: 0 to 6.9
Neutral: 7
Alkaline: 7.1 to 14

A ph range of 6.5 – 8 is optimal for freshwater. A range of 8 – 9 is optimal for


estuarine and sea water
PHYSICAL PARAMETERS
Temperature of a waterway is significant because it affects the amount of dissolved oxygen
in the water. The amount of oxygen that will dissolve in water increases as temperature
Temperature.

decreases. Water at OoC will hold up to 14.6 mg of oxygen per litre, while at 30oC it will hold
only up to 7.6 mg/L.

Temperature also affects the rate of photosynthesis of plants, the metabolic rate of aquatic
animals, rates of development, timing and success of reproduction, mobility, migration
patterns and the sensitivity of organisms to toxins, parasites and disease. Life cycles of
aquatic organisms are often related to changes in temperature.

Temperature ranges for plants and animals can be affected by manmade structures such as
dams and weirs and releases of water from them.
Turbidity is a measure of the ability of light to pass through water, that is, a measure of
the water’s murkiness. Measuring murkiness gives an estimate of suspended solids in
the water.
Turbidity is measured in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU’s).

Suspended Solids usually enter the water as a result of soil erosion from disturbed
TURBIDITY.

land or can be traced to the inflow of effluent from sewage plants or industry.
Suspended solids also occur naturally in the water from bank and channel erosion;
however, this process has been accelerated by human use of waterways. Turbidity
measurements also take into account algae and plankton present in the water.

Excellent ≤ 10 NTU’s
Fair 15-30 NTU’s
Poor > 30 NTU’s
Salinity is a measure of the dissolved salts in the water.
Salinity is usually highest during periods of low flows and increases as water levels
decrease.

Salinity is measured as either TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), which measures the amount
of dissolved salts in the water, or as EC (Electrical Conductivity), which is the property of
a substance which enables it to serve as a channel or medium for electricity.
salinity.

Salty water conducts electricity more readily than purer water.


A sample’s EC can be converted to TDS and vice versa.

Water type EC (µs/cm) TDS (mg/L)

Pure rainwater < 15 < 10

Freshwater rivers 0- 800 100 – 1,000

seawater 51,500 35,000


BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS
AQUATIC MACROINVEREBRATES. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are:
• Animals without backbones
• Small but you can see them with your eyes
• Live in water

An assessment of the aquatic macroinvertebrates at the waterway can provide an


indication of water quality.
Different macroinvertebrates have different tolerances to pollution. Highly
sensitive bugs can only live in water with high water quality. Tolerant and very
tolerant bugs can withstand lower water quality. A healthy waterway has a higher
biodiversity of bugs.

Water bugs are rated according to their sensitivity to pollution. ‘Pollution rating’
numbers from 1 to 10 indicate how sensitive each bug is.
There are four ‘grades’:

• Very sensitive – 10, 9


• Sensitive – 8, 7, 6
• Tolerant – 5, 4, 3
• Very tolerant – 2, 1
Growth of algae in water affects the quality of water by various ways.

Algae gives characteristic color, odor and taste to water. Also algae prevent
penetration of light to bottom of water system affecting photosynthetic
organisms.

Various algae produces toxic compounds. For examples, Microcystis


ALGAE.

produces hepatotoxin, Similarly Anaebaena and Nostoc produces neurotoxin.


Therefore, drinking water should be free from algae.
Human beings and other animals discharge large number of intestinal bacteria
into stool and urine. Therefore bacteria appears in drinking water when water
source is contaminated with stool.
BACTERIA.

Some intestinal bacteria which are normal flora of intestine are not pathogenic
while other bacteria causes serious disease when they are present in drinking
water.

Some pathogenic bacteria includes- Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholera,


Yersinea enterocolitica.

Some indicator organism are faecal coliform ( E. coli), faecal Streptococci


(Enterococcus), Clostridium perfringens
Sometime viruses from intestinal tract of infected person get access to water
along with faeces.

Some intestinal pathogenic viruses which are transmitted through contaminated


water are- Rotavirus, Poliovirus, Hepatitis A and E, etc
VIRUS.
Many species of protozoa and helminthes that causes water borne disease
contaminates water through stool of infected patients.
PARASITE.

Some pathogenic parasites are- Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, Balantidium


coli, etc
THANK
YOU

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